Families were forced to flee their homes just after midnight as ten cars were destroyed by fire in suspected arson attacks.   

Residents of Crook, Durham, awoke to screams this morning as six cars were said to have exploded, wreaking ‘horrendous’ damage across two neighbouring streets.

One mother, who asked to remain anonymous, said that the incident that took place just outside her children’s bedrooms made Milburn Street look ‘like a warzone’.

She said: ‘I heard the neighbour screaming my name and looked out of the window then ran into the kids’ rooms.  

‘I got them out. We got to the back door and that is when we heard the bang, when they must have blown up.

Residents were forced to flee their homes just after midnight as ten cars were destroyed by fire on Milburn Street and Wilson Street in Crook, Durham

‘We got outside but my little son did not have shoes. We were running down the back street because we did not know if the house had caught fire.’

It is understood that six cars exploded during the incident, but a total of ten were damaged on Milburn Street and Wilson Street. 

The mother added: ‘We are all over the place at the minute trying to sort insurance out and will have to find money to sort it all out with the excess and everything.

‘It could have been a lot more serious, but it is horrendous, really bad.’

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The community is now keen to find those responsible with one man offering a £1,000 reward for information.

A spokesman for Durham Police said: ‘Officers are investigating after several cars were set on fire in Crook overnight.

‘Police were called at 12.20am today to reports of several cars on fire in Milburn Street and Wilson Street.

Six cars were said to have exploded wrecking ‘horrendous’ damage across the streets

The community is now keen to find those responsible with one man offering a £1,000 reward for information

‘Ten cars and the windows of several houses suffered fire damage as a result of the incident, which is being treated as arson.

‘An investigation has been launched and residents will see an increased police presence in the area while officers conduct their enquiries.

‘Local neighbourhood teams are also patrolling the area to provide further reassurance to local residents.

‘Officers would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or who saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area at the time.’